Colwall beat Fillongley by six wickets in the Village Knockout

COLWALL kept the dream of a Lords final alive on Sunday moving into the quarter final of the Village Knockout.

Dave Powell's 89 runs were the centrepiece of a six wicket win over Fillongley.

Having never met the Warwickshire outfit, Colwall were keen to make a good start against the visitors and despite losing the toss and being put into field, made a positive break through with Noon's dismissal in the sixth over. Jordan Kontarines claimed the opener's wicket after Damien Berry's well judged catch at deep fine leg.

Ward and Blackmore put on 32 runs for the second wicket. Ward's patient but well executed innings formed the centre of Fillongley's 55 in the opening 15 overs, with a disappointing wides tally also increasing the run rate.

Blackmore fell caught behind off Richard Williams, the first of wicketkeeper Steve Ferguson's five dismissals, before Dave Sutton's two wickets in two balls put Colwall in the driving seat. Dave Powell clung on at mid-wicket to take Cartwright's wicket and after Hammonds' first ball edge to Ferguson, three wickets in as many overs reduced Fillongley to 95-7.

James Wagstaff's (2-31 off nine overs) excellent second spell yielded the vital wickets of Carty and Stringer before Ward's prize capture, lbw by Sutton. The opener's controlled top score of 35 gave the visitors some hope of setting a mediocre target in the latter stages as Webster (18) and Slade (13) dug in to put slow but critical runs on the board.

Webster became Sutton's final victim, the off spinner claiming 4-31, and with Damien Berry (1-18 off nine overs) bowling a fine second spell Fillongley finished 142 all out on the last ball of the innings, 33 extras providing the second highest score.

The total looked short of what was required on a good batting track and Tom Wolfendale and Dave Powell's superb 67 first wicket stand put Colwall within reach of the target. The pair put on a solid 57 runs in the first 15 overs as Powell especially took the game to the Fillongley bowlers with some excellent boundary shots.

Wolfendale fell caught and bowled to Webster for a well supported 26 before Slade's testing spell (1-31) claimed Tim Riley's wicket to give the visitors a flicker of hope.

Powell's fine performance on the day shone through as he collected a 61 ball half century and his adventurous attacking play allowed Colwall to reach 115-2 after 30 overs.

Steve Ferguson's equally important gritty unbeaten 13 gave Powell the space to attack in the latter stages and collect 89 in 88 balls to the delight of the majority of the 250 crowd and see Colwall all but home.

Gardner's (2-32 off eight overs) capture of Hankins was only a statistical extra late on as Colwall ran out winners by six wickets with five overs to spare.

For the third year on the trot Colwall now face Elvaston of Derbyshire.

Having been beaten twice at home in the past two seasons, this year Colwall have to travel for the quarter final tie on Sunday, August 4.

n Colwall's league encounter against Bredon at Stowe Lane on Saturday was abandoned despite a total of 57 overs play.

Bredon scored 203 all out in 47 overs before a third rain interruption finished proceedings with the home side at 38-3.